Must you provided a SIGNED COPY of the Federal tax return with the state return?

[Henning Schröder]

Must you provided a SIGNED COPY of the Federal tax return with the state return?
Or can the Federal copy simply be a printed copy (unsigned).

I just got around to doing my taxes and sent them off but
my significant other reminded me that the federal that
went with the state wasn't signed.

The federal that went to the federal was signed, but not
the federal that went with the california state return.

You'd think that it would be simple to google to find out
if a federal "copy" must be signed but it's not.

Nobody seems to ever have asked the question.
When I google for queries similar to
"do I need to sign my federal copy with california tax return"

I get these answers, none of which are answering the question:
https://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/faq/ivr/206.shtml
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2753933-forgot-to-sign-my-federal-and-california-tax-return
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2528967-do-i-mail-a-copy-of-my-california-state-returns-along-with-my-federal-taxes
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2761242-i-mailed-my-california-state-tax-return-but-forgot-to-attach-my-federal-tax-return-what-should-i-do
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3149386-i-need-to-send-a-california-tax-return-to-franchise-tax-board-do-i-have-to-attach-federal-tax-return-and-w2-when-i-send-it
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2301262-do-i-have-to-send-a-1040-with-my-ca-540
etc.

NOTE: We signed the California, but did not sign the Federal "copy".
So the question is just whether the "copy" must also be signed.

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[Alan]

On 6/21/16 2:53 PM, Henning Schröder wrote:
> Must you provided a SIGNED COPY of the Federal tax return with the state return?
> Or can the Federal copy simply be a printed copy (unsigned).
>
> I just got around to doing my taxes and sent them off but
> my significant other reminded me that the federal that
> went with the state wasn't signed.
>
> The federal that went to the federal was signed, but not
> the federal that went with the california state return.
>
> You'd think that it would be simple to google to find out
> if a federal "copy" must be signed but it's not.
>
> Nobody seems to ever have asked the question.
> When I google for queries similar to
> "do I need to sign my federal copy with california tax return"
>
> I get these answers, none of which are answering the question:
> https://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/faq/ivr/206.shtml
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2753933-forgot-to-sign-my-federal-and-california-tax-return
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2528967-do-i-mail-a-copy-of-my-california-state-returns-along-with-my-federal-taxes
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2761242-i-mailed-my-california-state-tax-return-but-forgot-to-attach-my-federal-tax-return-what-should-i-do
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3149386-i-need-to-send-a-california-tax-return-to-franchise-tax-board-do-i-have-to-attach-federal-tax-return-and-w2-when-i-send-it
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2301262-do-i-have-to-send-a-1040-with-my-ca-540
> etc.
>
> NOTE: We signed the California, but did not sign the Federal "copy".
> So the question is just whether the "copy" must also be signed.
>

Typically, you would send either the electronic signed version or if a
paper return the signed tax form, for obvious reasons. That said, it
doesn't matter. If CA wants your signed copy you will receive a written
request from them (highly unlikely unless you have some red flags on the
return). There is no penalty for failing to attach a copy of your
federal return to your CA return. There can be a penalty for failing to
provide the information in a written request.

[Henning Schröder]

Alan auf Wed, 22 Jun 2016 15:14:01 -0400 geschrieben ...

> There is no penalty for failing to attach a copy of your
> federal return to your CA return. There can be a penalty for failing to
> provide the information in a written request.

That's very interesting that there's no requirement to even *send*
in the Federal return!

That's interesting. Very interesting.
So it's purely optional?

Does that lack of requirement hold for the W2 copies also?

[Alan]

On 6/22/16 1:38 PM, Henning Schröder wrote:
> Alan auf Wed, 22 Jun 2016 15:14:01 -0400 geschrieben ...
>
>> There is no penalty for failing to attach a copy of your
>> federal return to your CA return. There can be a penalty for failing to
>> provide the information in a written request.
>
> That's very interesting that there's no requirement to even *send*
> in the Federal return!
>
> That's interesting. Very interesting.
> So it's purely optional?
>
> Does that lack of requirement hold for the W2 copies also?
>

I did not say that there was no requirement. There is a requirement.
There is no penalty on the books if you fail to send it. CA will request
it and then if you fail to send it, they can penalize you.

[ekta.d...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 2:55:36 PM UTC-7, Henning Schröder wrote:
> Must you provided a SIGNED COPY of the Federal tax return with the state return?
> Or can the Federal copy simply be a printed copy (unsigned).
>
> I just got around to doing my taxes and sent them off but
> my significant other reminded me that the federal that
> went with the state wasn't signed.
>
> The federal that went to the federal was signed, but not
> the federal that went with the california state return.
>
> You'd think that it would be simple to google to find out
> if a federal "copy" must be signed but it's not.
>
> Nobody seems to ever have asked the question.
> When I google for queries similar to
> "do I need to sign my federal copy with california tax return"
>
> I get these answers, none of which are answering the question:
> https://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/faq/ivr/206.shtml
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2753933-forgot-to-sign-my-federal-and-california-tax-return
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2528967-do-i-mail-a-copy-of-my-california-state-returns-along-with-my-federal-taxes
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2761242-i-mailed-my-california-state-tax-return-but-forgot-to-attach-my-federal-tax-return-what-should-i-do
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3149386-i-need-to-send-a-california-tax-return-to-franchise-tax-board-do-i-have-to-attach-federal-tax-return-and-w2-when-i-send-it
> https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2301262-do-i-have-to-send-a-1040-with-my-ca-540
> etc.
>
> NOTE: We signed the California, but did not sign the Federal "copy".
> So the question is just whether the "copy" must also be signed.

I am in a similar situation and curious to know what happened? Did the state ask you to send a printed federal tax form again?

[tar...@google.com]

On Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 6:00:35 PM UTC-7, ekta.d...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 2:55:36 PM UTC-7, Henning Schröder wrote:
> > Must you provided a SIGNED COPY of the Federal tax return with the state return?
> > Or can the Federal copy simply be a printed copy (unsigned).

>...

> I am in a similar situation and curious to know what happened? Did the state
> ask you to send a printed federal tax form again?

I typically eFile federal and send CA a paper return. I just print a copy of
my federal return to attach to the CA return, but don't sign the federal copy.
So far, the California authorities have never asked for a signed copy of the
federal return. Then again, they haven't asked any other questions either.

Clearly this is just one person's experience, but the instructions don't say
that they want a signed copy of the federal return. And I have no idea to what
extent the federal return is even looked at or stored. I would speculate that
it is now required more out of inertia than any particular policy.

Slightly off-topic, but the California jury summons reply says if situation S
applies then attach form X. And then at the bottom it says do not attach
anything to the reply form except Y or Z.
the summons

[scott s.]

tar...@google.com wrote in
news:90a48e5c-8c70-4a44...@googlegroups.com:

> On Thursday, March 21, 2019 at 6:00:35 PM UTC-7, ekta.d...@gmail.com
> wrote:
>> On Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 2:55:36 PM UTC-7, Henning Schröder
>> wrote:
>> > Must you provided a SIGNED COPY of the Federal tax return with
>> > the state return? Or can the Federal copy simply be a printed
>> > copy (unsigned).
>>...
>> I am in a similar situation and curious to know what happened? Did
>> the state ask you to send a printed federal tax form again?
>
> I typically eFile federal and send CA a paper return. I just print a
> copy of my federal return to attach to the CA return, but don't sign
> the federal copy. So far, the California authorities have never
> asked for a signed copy of the federal return. Then again, they
> haven't asked any other questions either.
>

I have never signed the federal copy I submit with my CA 540NR, neither
have I signed the CA 540NR nor MD 505 copies I submit with my HI
N-11. Haven't heard a peep from either CA or HI.

scott s.
..

[saiyam...@gmail.com]

Just a question here, while we send “copy” of the federal return with state tax return, Can it be “my copy” with copy written over it or does it need to be copy of the Original federal one